Exercise apparatus and method for using same

Abstract

An exercise apparatus including a vertical support, an arm assembly having first and second arms for engaging the outside of the legs of a human and a coupling assembly for securing the arm assembly to the vertical support. The coupling assembly can include a slide assembly for permitting the arm assembly to move vertically on the support element between an upper position and a lower position as the human moves downwardly relative to the vertical support and a pivot assembly for permitting the first and second arms to move between a contracted position and an extended position as the legs are pivoted away from each other. The first and second arms can be urged towards the contracted position. Methods for operating the exercise apparatus are provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An exercise apparatus for use by a human having first and second legs, comprising a vertical support, an arm assembly having first and second arms for respectively engaging outer sides of the first and second legs of the human, a coupling assembly for securing the arm assembly to the vertical support, the coupling assembly including a slide assembly for permitting the arm assembly to move vertically on the vertical support between an upper position and a lower position so as to facilitate alignment of the first and second arms with the first and second legs of the human as the human moves downwardly relative to the vertical support to a squat position and a pivot assembly for permitting the first and second arms to move between a contracted position when the first and second legs are extending alongside each other and an extended position when the first and second legs are pivoted away from each other, and a force-exerting device for urging the first and second arms towards the contracted position whereby gluteus maximus muscles of the human are exercised when the first and second legs of the human are pivoted away from each other against force of the first and second arms. 
     
     
       2. The exercise apparatus of  claim 1  for use by a human having first and second arms, further comprising an upper body support element adapted for engagement by the first and second arms of the human and an assembly carried by the vertical support for securing the upper body support element to the vertical support whereby the upper body support element provides support to the human as the human moves downwardly relative to the vertical support to the squat position. 
     
     
       3. The exercise apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the assembly includes a slide assembly for permitting the upper body support element to move vertically on the vertical support from an upper position when the human is in a standing position and a lower position when the human is in a squat position whereby the upper body support element provides support as the human moves between the standing position and the squat position. 
     
     
       4. The exercise apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the upper body support element has a first outwardly-extending arm for engagement by the first arm of the human and a second outwardly-extending arm for engagement by the second arm of the human. 
     
     
       5. The exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is free of a seat that would permit the human to sit while the first and second arms move between the contracted position and the extended position. 
     
     
       6. The exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling assembly includes an additional pivot assembly for permitting the first and second arms to pivot between a horizontal position and an inclined position relative to the vertical support independent of the first and second arms moving between the contracted position and the extended position. 
     
     
       7. An exercise apparatus for use by a human having first and second legs, comprising a vertical support, an arm assembly having first and second arms for respectively engaging outer sides of the first and second legs of the human, a coupling assembly for securing the arm assembly to the vertical support, the coupling assembly including a first pivot assembly for permitting the first and second arms to move between a contracted position when the first and second legs are extending alongside each other and an extended position when the first and second legs are pivoted away from each other and a second pivot assembly for permitting the first and second arms to pivot between a horizontal position and an inclined position relative to the vertical support independent of the first and second arms moving between the contracted position and the extended position, and a force-exerting device for urging the first and second arms towards the contracted position whereby gluteus maximus muscles of the human are exercised when the first and second legs of the human are pivoted away from each other against force of the first and second arms. 
     
     
       8. The exercise apparatus of  claim 7  for use by a human having first and second arms, further comprising an upper body support element adapted for engagement by the first and second arms of the human and an assembly carried by the vertical support for securing the upper body support element to the vertical support whereby the upper body support element provides support to the human as the human moves downwardly relative to the vertical support to the squat position. 
     
     
       9. The exercise apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the assembly includes a slide assembly for permitting the upper body support element to move vertically on the vertical support from an upper position when the human is in a standing position and a lower position when the human is in a squat position whereby the upper body support element provides support as the human moves between the standing position and the squat position. 
     
     
       10. The exercise apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the apparatus is free of a seat that would permit the human to sit while the first and second arms move between the contracted position and the extended position. 
     
     
       11. An exercise apparatus for use by a human having an upper body and first and second legs, comprising a vertical support, an upper body support element adapted for engagement by the upper body of the human, a slide assembly carried by the vertical support and secured to the upper body support element for permitting the upper body support element to move vertically on the vertical support from an upper position when the human is in a standing position and a lower position when the human is in a squat position whereby the upper body support element provides support to the human when moving between the standing position to the squat position, an arm assembly having first and second arms for respectively engaging outer sides of the first and second legs of the human, a coupling assembly for securing the arm assembly to the vertical support and including a pivot assembly for permitting the first and second arms to move between a contracted position when the first and second legs are extending alongside each other and an extended position when the first and second legs are pivoted away from each other, and a force-exerting device for urging the first and second arms towards the contracted position whereby gluteus maximus muscles of the human are exercised when the first and second legs of the human are pivoted away from each other against force of the first and second arms. 
     
     
       12. The exercise apparatus of  claim 11  for use by a human having first and second arms, wherein the upper body support element is configured for engagement by the first and second arms of the human. 
     
     
       13. The exercise apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the upper body support element has a first arm for engagement by the first arm of the human and a second arm for engagement by the second arm of the human. 
     
     
       14. The exercise apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein each of the first and second arms of the upper body support element arc sidewardly and forwardly of the vertical support for extending under the respective outstretched first and second arms of the human. 
     
     
       15. The exercise apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the coupling assembly includes an additional slide assembly for permitting the arm assembly to move vertically on the vertical support between an upper position and a lower position. 
     
     
       16. The exercise apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising an additional force-exerting device coupled to the arm assembly for urging the arm assembly towards the upper position. 
     
     
       17. The exercise apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the additional force-exerting device includes a weight. 
     
     
       18. The exercise apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the coupling assembly includes an additional pivot assembly for permitting the first and second arms to pivot relative to the vertical support between a horizontal position and an inclined position independent of the first and second arms moving between the contracted position and the extended position. 
     
     
       19. The exercise apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the coupling assembly includes an additional slide assembly for permitting the arm assembly to move vertically on the vertical support between an upper position and a lower position and an additional pivot assembly for permitting the first and second arms to pivot relative to the vertical support between a horizontal position and an inclined position independent of the arm assembly moving between the upper position and the lower position. 
     
     
       20. The exercise apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising a base, wherein the vertical support is secured to the base and extends upwardly from the base. 
     
     
       21. The exercise apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising an additional force-exerting device coupled to the upper body support element for inhibiting movement of the upper body support element under the force of the human from the upper position to the lower position. 
     
     
       22. The exercise apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the additional force-exerting device includes a gas spring. 
     
     
       23. The exercise apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the additional force-exerting device includes an adjustable weight assembly. 
     
     
       24. The exercise apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the force-exerting device for urging the first and second arms towards the contracted position includes a first spring coupled to the first arm and a second spring coupled to the second arm. 
     
     
       25. The exercise apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the force-exerting device for urging the first and second arms towards the contracted position includes an adjustable weight assembly.